Top prep prospect Andrew Wiggins signs with Kansas

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) – Top prep basketball prospect Andrew Wiggins told a small gathering of family and friends at his high school gym Tuesday that he will play at Kansas.
Then the Huntington Prep star signed his letter-of-intent and officially became a Jayhawk. No big speech. No bands, live TV coverage or props.
Just the way Wiggins wanted it.
And just like that, Lawrence, Kan., became more of a focal point for the upcoming college basketball season.
“I’m looking forward to getting there and just doing my thing,” Wiggins said.
The 6-foot-8 Toronto native chose Kansas over Kentucky, North Carolina and Florida State. Wiggins said there wasn’t one particular selling point, taking into account each school’s coaching staff, players and program.
“I just followed my heart,” he said.
He’ll join one of the top recruiting classes in the country.
“I really thought it was one of those long shots, at least when we first got involved,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. “The more we hung around, the more we felt he liked us. There was (a) little bit of a connection.”
Despite the loss of Ben McLemore to the NBA draft, four of Kansas’ five recruits are considered to be in the top 50 nationally, including guards Conner Frankamp and Wayne Selden, forward Brannen Greene and center Joel Embiid.
Wiggins’ parents both attended Florida State, and the Seminoles had signed his Huntington Prep teammate and fellow Toronto native, Xavier Rathan-Mayes.
Wiggins’ father is former NBA first-round pick Mitchell Wiggins. His mother, Marita Payne-Wiggins, was a Canadian Olympic sprinter and silver medalist. Older brother Nick plays guard at Wichita State and another brother, Mitchell Jr., plays at NAIA school Southeastern University in Lakeland, Fla.
“Florida State was great for mom, it was great for dad,” Mitchell Wiggins said. But he recalled telling his son, “it’s your time. It’s not 20-30 years ago. And Florida State (would have been) a great choice.”
But the father said Kansas will “be a great fit. Hopefully Andrew stays humble, stays hungry. We’ll see how it plays out.”
Tuesday’s brief ceremony ended the frenzied pursuit of Wiggins, who averaged 23.4 points and 11.2 rebounds per game this season.
Rather than turn his announcement into a spectacle, Wiggins wanted a private signing ceremony where he attends classes at St. Joseph’s Central Catholic High School in Huntington.
“I didn’t really want to open it up to the public,” he said. “I knew it would be jam packed in here. I wanted people who appreciated me and people I appreciate to be here watching me. I wanted a lot of people I knew.”
Initially rated as a 2014 prospect, Wiggins shot to the top of recruiting charts when he decided last October to reclassify into his original high school class of 2013. The four major recruiting services rated Wiggins as the No. 1 overall recruit.
Interest grew in recent weeks. As one fan put told Wiggins in a Twitter post, “You’re driving 4 schools and 4 fan bases absolutely insane.”
Wiggins had kept quiet on his intentions. He had yet to even make a verbal commitment and delayed his signing until almost the very end – Wednesday is the deadline for recruits to sign with NCAA Division I schools.
“This is the way I like it to be done – on my own time,” he said. “I’ve got a weight lifted off my shoulders. I can relax now.”
Self said Wiggins “did exactly what we said he was going to do. He told us he was going to take his time. He was going to process everything. So him taking his time wasn’t a shock. ... I thought it was a classy, cool way to do it, when kids are seeking more attention these days.”
Wiggins’ game did the talking. He has the ability to make shots from all angles and distances, blow past defenders to the basket and reach the rim at eye level. Wiggins was the recipient of this year’s Gatorade Boys National Basketball Player of the Year and Naismith Foundation national awards. He has been called the best prep prospect since LeBron James.
“I’m hearing the LeBron comparison and I saw LeBron play some high school, and I’m not sure that’s a fair comparison to anyone,” Self said. “But from a pure athletic ability, he (Wiggins) is one of the most pure athletes the college game has had for a while.”
Wiggins participated in several postseason all-star games, most recently playing for the World Select Team at the Nike Hoop Summit April 20 in Portland, Ore.
Wiggins cited fatigue from the Oregon trip for canceling scheduled visits from Self, North Carolina coach Roy Williams and Florida State’s Leonard Hamilton. Wiggins instead talked to them by phone. Kentucky coach John Calipari had visited Wiggins in Huntington on March 28.
“When he announced it, it wasn’t the one I thought he would pick,” said Wiggins’ high school coach, Rob Fulford, who felt the player would choose Florida State. “But I wasn’t surprised. All four have advantages over the others in some way.”
Wiggins said he planned to relax at home and train with his brothers and some friends during the next few months. Self said he’s not sure when Wiggins will arrive in Lawrence because of the possibility of Wiggins’ involvement in some Canadian national teams over the summer.

Pitt, Penn State recruiting classes

2013 University of Pittsburgh Football Recruiting Class

Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown/High School/Prep School

Carson Baker OL 6-5 280 Fairborn, Ohio/Fairborn

Chris Blewitt PK 5-9 165 Alexandria, Va./West Potomac

Tyler Boyd WR 6-2 185 Clairton, Pa./Clairton

Zach Challingsworth WR 6-2 185 McDonald, Pa./South Fayette

Tra’Von Chapman* QB 6-2 200 Kent, Ohio/Theodore Roosevelt

James Conner RB 6-2 230 Erie, Pa./McDowell

Devon Edwards TE 6-4 255 Reynoldsburg, Ohio/Eastmoor Academy

Matt Galambos LB 6-2 215 Collingdale, Pa./The Haverford School

Reggie Green ATH 6-2 200 Cranford, N.J./Cranford

Tony Harper TE 6-4 200 Toledo, Ohio/St. John’s Jesuit

Titus Howard DB 6-1 180 Clairton, Pa./Clairton

Rachid Ibrahim DB 6-1 185 Rockville, Md./Avalon

Tyrique Jarrett* DL 6-3 320 Pittsburgh, Pa./Taylor Allderdice/

Milford Academy (N.Y.)

Dorian Johnson OL 6-5 290 Belle Vernon, Pa./Belle Vernon Area

Jaryd Jones-Smith OL 6-7 295 Voorhees, N.J./West Catholic (Pa.)

Luke Maclean DL 6-3 235 Grand Blanc, Mich./Grand Blanc

Justin Moody DL 6-3 265 Philadelphia, Pa./George Washington

Alex Officer OL 6-4 290 Rochester, N.Y./Eastridge

Scott Orndoff* TE 6-5 245 Waynesburg, Pa./Seton-LaSalle

Jaymar Parrish FB 6-2 230 Monroeville, Pa./Gateway

Zach Poker LB 6-4 220 Oconomowoc, Wis./Oconomowoc

Aaron Reese OL 6-5 300 Fayetteville, Pa./Chambersburg Area

Shakir Soto* DL 6-3 230 Wilkes-Barre, Pa./G.A.R. Memorial

Jeremiah Taleni DL 6-2 300 Kaneohe, Hawaii/Kailua

Jester Weah WR 6-3 190 Madison, Wis./Madison Memorial

Terrish Webb DB 5-11 170 Clairton, Pa./Clairton

Ryan Winslow P 6-5 205 Ambler, Pa./La Salle College H.S.

 

 

2013 Penn State Football Signees

Name                                     Pos.    Ht.       Wt.      Cl./El.             High School/Hometown

Richy Anderson*                 RB      5-11    171     Fr./Fr.              Governor Thomas Johnson/

Frederick, Md.

Brandon Bell                        LB       6-1      222     Fr./Fr.              Oakcrest/Mays Landing, N.J.

Adam Breneman*                TE       6-4      230     Fr./Fr.              Cedar Cliff/Camp Hill, Pa.

Curtis Cothran                      DE      6-5      235     Fr./Fr.              Council Rock North/ Newtown, Pa.

Parker Cothren                     DT       6-5      265     Fr./Fr.              Hazel Green/Hazel Green. Ala.

Tyler Ferguson*                   QB      6-3      199     So./So.           College of the Sequoias (Calif.)/Bakersfield, Calif.

Kasey Gaines                       DB      5-10    160     Fr./Fr.              Grayson/Loganville, Ga.

Christian Hackenberg         QB      6-3      215     Fr./Fr.              Fork Union Military Academy (Va.)/Palmyra, Va.

DaeSean Hamilton WR     6-1      182     Fr./Fr.              Mountain View/Fredericksburg, Va.

Tanner Hartman                   G         6-5      255     Fr./Fr.              Lynchburg Christian Academy/Lynchburg, Va.

Zayd Issah                            LB       6-3      215     Fr./Fr.              Central Dauphin/Harrisburg, Pa.

Brendan Mahon                   G         6-4      315     Fr./Fr.              Randolph/Randolph, N.J.

Andrew Nelson                    T          6-5      295     Fr./Fr.              Hershey/Hershey, Pa.

Neiko Robinson                   DB      5-11    170     Fr./Fr.              Northview (Fla.)/Flomaton, Ala.

Garrett Sickels                      DE      6-4      238     Fr./Fr.              Red Bank Regional/Little Silver, N.J.

Anthony Smith*                    DB      6-0      184     Fr./Fr.              Valley Forge Military Academy (Pa.)/Randolph, N.J.

Jordan Smith*                       DB      5-11    178     Fr./Fr.              H.D. Woodson/Washington, D.C.

Te'o's story not the first phony tale

The bizarre saga involving Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o and a fabricated girlfriend/relationship brought back memories of another odd made-up story.

This one involved Kevin Hart. No, not the famous comedian but a run-of-the-mill high school football player from Nevada. Hart staged a fake press conference, where he selected Cal over Oregon in front of his schoolmates.

His story quickly unfolded from there.

For an outstanding read on the story from ESPN in 2008, click here and check out the video below.

Heralded high school hoops recruit picks Duke

Photo courtesy Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) – Jabari Parker still had just about everyone guessing. Then, he pulled out that blue T-shirt with a white “D,” and, finally, it became clear.
The prized prospect from Chicago’s Simeon Career Academy, one of the most highly touted recruits in years, is headed to Duke to play for Mike Krzyzewski. Parker made the announcement in front of a national TV audience Thursday, in his high school gym, surely delighting Blue Devils fans.
A 6-foot-8 forward with the ability to nail jumpers from just about any spot when he’s not throwing down vicious dunks, Parker can’t sign his letter of intent until April 17. But he made his intentions clear with one highly anticipated oral commitment.
Michigan State, Florida, Stanford and Brigham Young also made his top five and caps from each school lined a table next to the podium. But he said it really came down to three schools, with the Gators and Spartans right there with the Blue Devils.
In the end, he chose to play for Krzyzewski for at least a year before making what many believe will ultimately be a jump to the NBA.
“Duke is always going to be a team in the tournament,” he said. “You can’t go wrong at the program and most importantly, the long-term investment. I feel like if I go there, I can get a good degree. I can also stay close to home where it’s easily accessible to my parents, my family. It’s not too far away. Coach K, that’s one of the best coaches ever, and I wanted to be able to experience the things that he has next year.”
Parker said he might play two or three seasons in college. Either way, he vowed to get a degree. He also said he didn’t decide on a school until about 1 p.m. Central, and he apparently kept his parents in the dark until just before he made his announcement.
His mom Lola said Jabari whispered his decision to her and her husband, Sonny, as they were walking into the gym. A few minutes later, he pulled out that Duke T-shirt, drawing a standing ovation from the crowd packing the bleachers behind the podium.
Parker committed to join a program next season will lose two key frontcourt players – seniors Mason Plumlee and Ryan Kelly – from a team that earlier this week rose to No. 1 for the first time since February 2011.
Parker figures to fit right in on a talented group of players that will include Quinn Cook, who’s expected to be in his second year as the starting point guard, and returns pure shooter Andre Dawkins, who’s expected back after redshirting this season.
Turning down the other programs, particularly Michigan State, wasn’t easy, particularly after coach Tom Izzo’s final pitch Wednesday.
Simeon coach Robert Smith was so impressed he said, “If he was recruiting me yesterday, I would have committed.”
Parker didn’t. He saw a potential for controversy with him and the Spartans’ Branden Dawson playing the same position. Instead, he’s headed to Duke even though he said that was his “worst” on-campus visit.
“I didn’t do what I wanted to do – that’s be a kid,” he said. “But I know being at college, it’s all business. That’s what they wanted to do, to show me. I know I didn’t have a good time, but they just wanted to tell me, prepare for me and give me a little bit of a taste of how it’s going to be in college.”
Lola Parker said she was more interested in Krzyzewski the person than the Krzyzewski the coaching icon. She mentioned his character, his discipline and his final home visit on Tuesday.
“The first time Coach K came in, he stood up and showed Jabari where his foot should be on an offensive or a defensive play,” she said. “He showed Jabari where his arms should be. This guy doesn’t sit down. We kind of laughed about it, and it was the same thing Tuesday. I moved my coffee table to the side to make sure he had room right there to get up.”
Given Jabari Parker’s skills, it’s easy to see why just about every major program was interested in him.
Parker just might be the greatest prospect to come out of Simeon, and that’s saying something considering Derrick Rose played there. All he did was go on to become the MVP with the hometown Bulls.
As for Parker, his credentials to this point sure are impressive.
He received the Gatorade Boys Basketball Player of the Year award after leading Simeon to its third straight state championship while averaging 19.5 points and 8.9 rebounds as a junior.
His father played six seasons with the Golden State Warriors in the NBA after starring at Chicago’s Farragut Career Academy.
“He has a gift and he has what’s called ‘It’,” Sonny Parker said.
Religion also plays a big role in Jabari’s life. He is a devout Mormon, just like his mom, and he has talked about going on a mission. He’s not sure if he will do that, but he did make one thing clear:
He plans to get his degree.
Now that he’s made his college choice and assuming he doesn’t have a change of heart, Jabari can focus on leading Simeon to another state title and getting his conditioning back after being slowed by a broken right foot.
The injury over the summer caused him to push back some recruiting trips and delay his decision rather than commit during the early signing period last month. He’s also missed a game this week because he’s trying to work his way back from the injury, an obstacle for a player rarely stopped on the court, but this moment was years in the making.
Lola Parker recalled in an interview at the family’s house earlier this year that she could see it when Jabari, the youngest of seven children, was in the second grade going against the fourth and fifth-graders in a league run by Sonny, who established a foundation to help inner-city youth in Chicago after he retired.
Scholarship offers started rolling in when Jabari was in the sixth grade, and now, it’s not uncommon for him to get mobbed by fans at games, even though they’re often not from Simeon.
Usually, he’ll accommodate them, but sometimes, he needs an escape.
He finds one in religion. That means rising several days a week at 5 a.m. for Bible study and heading from the family’s brick bungalow on the city’s South Side to worship a few miles away, near the University of Chicago.
The day of the interview at the house earlier this year, there was a reminder on Jabari’s door to “put the Lord first” along with several sheets of 8-by-10 white paper. One listed the Ten Commandments, the other personal rules such as “don’t be quick to judge” and “Think positive things.”
For now, big things are happening for Parker. He’s headed to a storied program. And then?
“His potential, the sky’s the limit,” Sonny Parker said.

Top basketball player choosing college over Mormon mission

CHICAGO (AP)  – Top high school basketball recruit Jabari Parker says he will attend college and not go on a Mormon mission after he graduates.
Parker, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, previously mentioned the possibility of doing mission work after graduation from Chicago’s Simeon Career Academy. During an appearance Friday on ESPN Radio, Parker said he will be going to college next year.
Although he hasn’t announced a choice, Parker has visited Duke, Michigan State, Florida and BYU. He says he also will visit Stanford.
A 6-foot-8 forward, Parker is one of the most prized recruits to come along in recent years. He led Simeon to its third straight state championship while averaging 19.5 points and 8.9 rebounds as a junior.

Top recruit Parker narrows list

Associated Press
CHICAGO – Top high school recruit Jabari Parker plans to make official visits to Duke, Florida, Michigan State, Stanford and Brigham Young.
His father, Sonny Parker, told The Associated Press that no other schools are in the running. 
“He is going to take all those five visits and then he’ll decide,” he said.
Sonny Parker wasn’t sure of the exact dates, although he did say Jabari will visit Duke at the end of the month and Florida in the first week of November.
All five were among the 10 schools Parker said he was considering over the summer. DePaul, Georgetown, Kansas, Kentucky and North Carolina apparently did not make the cut. Nor did Connecticut, which made a home visit even though it was not on that list.
“He likes all the schools,” Sonny Parker said. “He liked all the programs. He liked all the coaches.  ... When he visits, he’ll probably get more of a feel for the campus. He’ll get a feel of the school and the players, the whole curriculum and everything.”
A 6-foot-8 forward, Jabari Parker is one of the most prized recruits to come along in recent years.  He received the Gatorade Boys Basketball Player of the Year after leading Simeon to its third straight state championship while averaging 19.5 points and 8.9 rebounds as a junior.
It’s not hard to see why Parker is so coveted.
He might grab a rebound, bring the ball up the court and try to set up his teammates as he runs the offense. The next possession, he might bury one from the outside or dunk, but he always makes a concerted effort to play within his team’s system.
He comes from the same high school that Chicago Bulls superstar Derrick Rose attended, and his father played six seasons with the Golden State Warriors in the NBA after starring at Chicago’s Farragut Career Academy.
Religion also plays a big role in Jabari Parker’s life. He is a devout Mormon, just like his mother Lola Parker, and he rises at 5 a.m. three days a week to attend a Bible study at his church before school.
Soon, Jabari Parker will have a big decision to make.
“He just wants to win,” Sonny Parker said. “He just wants a relationship with the coach and the players. He just wants to be better as a player, as a person.”